Exhibiting apparatus for moving pictures.



No. 854,199. lATENTED MAY 21, 1907.

F. L. DYER & D. HOLDEN. EXHIBITING APPARATUS FOR MOVING PICTURES.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 22, 1906.

Witnesses Am 6Q EZMKM Attorney UNITED 'srA'rns PATENT oFFion.

I RANK L. DYER, OF MONTCLAIR, AND DELOS HOLDEN, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNORS TO EDISON MANUFACTURING COMPAN 1 OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

exmarrme. APPARATUS eon Movme PEGTURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 190?;

To all whom it m cty 0077106771 Be it known that we, FRANK L. DYER, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Montclair, in the countyof Essex and State of New Jersey, and DELOS HOLDEN, a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of Orange, in the county of Essexand Stateof New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Exhibiting Aaratus for Moving Pictures, of which the f dl Our invention relates toan improved apparatus fbr exhibiting moving pictures of the typedisclosed in our application filed October 21, 1905, Serial No. 283,838,wherein the photographs are arranged in two arithmetical series,representing successive phases of movement, the members of the twoseries passing the alternating andthetphotographs of the one seriesbeing precede by photographs of the other series'which arerepresentative of later phases of movement. By' thus arranging thephotographs it becomes possible to exhibit a photograph of one series,while'the succeeding photograph of the other series is being moved intoposition to be exhibited,

whereby a continuous effect is produced somewhat analogous to theexhibitlon ofsocalled dissolving views.

Our object is to provide a simple and chea apparatus by which movingpictures of this type may be effectively exhibited by the use of asingle source of light and a single objective and preferably without anyreflection of the beam of light during its passage through theapparatus. Broadly stated, the

invention com rises an apparatus capable of in twice t rough the sameeam of light either at separate display openings which are, situated atconjugate foci of a ens, or across a single opening in such a mannerthat the ictures which are to be ex- 7 hibited lie in su' stantially thesame focal plane so that they will beaccurately focused y the projectinlens on the screen. In other words, the lm passes through the apparatusin such a manner that the light at all times passes through twothicknesses of the film, and if these two parts of the film were heldstationary the images of the two pictures which are superimposed wouldunite on the screen as a single picture. In order to lowing is adescription.

produce a continuous eifect, however, the a paratus is so designed thatone thickness of the film is moving whiie the other is at rest, and viceversa, the film driving or feeding mechanism being so arranged that theperiod of movement of each thickness of the film is preferably exactlyequal to its period of rest, and the periods of rest of the twothicknesses alternate, so that the instant one thickness has beenbrought to rest the other thickness begins to move, although the periodsof rest may be slightly longer than the periods of movement, if desired.3 Consequently there will always be a stationary image upon the screenand there will also be an image traveling across the screen with verygreat rapidity, so rapidly that it cannot be ap rehended by the eye, anddoes not interfere with the stationary image. Furthermore, as thefilmsare composed of transparent material the light easily passesthrough both thicknesses of the film and the moving portion does not inany way out off the light passing to or from the portion at rest,because the moving portion allows light to pass almost as freely as ifthere were nofilm inter osed.

Since no shutter is used the amount 0 light passing through theobjective is practically constant, and there is no flickering upon thescreen.

Reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1is a side elevation partly in section of an apparatus embodying ourinvention in its preferred form and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic viewof amodification thereof. Referring to Fig. 1 in which the path of the lightis from left to right from the source of light A through the p aratus,the film'l having the usual rows of perforations along its edges, passesfirst from its supply reel around a continuously operated feed sprocket.2 forming a loop 3 and passing thence over the idler 3* and downbetween the fixed plate llraving a display opening 5 and the usualholding plate or gate 6 which is pivoted at one side to allow the filmto be threaded through the apparatus. Below the opening 5 is anintermittent feed sprocket 8 which is rigid with the star wheel 9 whichis intermittently moved by the pins 10' of the disk 11 in the well knownmanner, the said disk being continuously driven by a gear train operatedThe sprocket 8 at every movement moves equal to the length of twoadjacent pictures,

so as to expose every other picture at the opening 5, and the parts areso designed that the periods of rest are exactly equal to the periods ofmovement. After leaving the sprocket 8 the film forms a loop 12 andpasses thence between the fixed plate 13 having a display opening 14 andaholding plate 15 hinged at one side. An intermittent feed sprocket 16engages the film above the opening 14, the said sprocket being operatedby a star wheel 17 and pin disk 18 driven from the gear a. This sprocketalso feeds the film the length of two pictures at every movement, andthe periods of movement exactly equal the periods of rest. Furthermorethe period of movement of the sprocket 16 exactly coincides with theperiod of rest of the passes on image will be inverted, it is necessarysprocket 8 and vice versa. The film then passes over an idler 16 forminga loop 19 and thence over a continuously operated sprocket 20 to theusual takeup reel. The display openings 5 and 14 are in opticalalinement with each other and with the objective or projecting lens 21of the usualtype. Exactly midway between the openings 5 and 14 issituated a lens 22 so designed that the openings 5 and 14 are atcongugate foci, whereby a picture located at 14 will exactly coincide insize and position with the image which will be formed by the lens 22 ofa picture located at the opening 5. Since 81111011 t at that portion ofthe film forming the loop 12 shall be given a twist as shown, so thatthe edge which is at the right, of the apparatus at the opening 5 willbe at the left of the apparatus at the opening 1-4. The plates 4, 13,lens 22, and objective 21 will be carried by a heavy frame rigid enoughto preserve the proper optical relations of theseparts, and the filmdriving and feeding mechanism may be carried on a separatef amevertically adjustable with respect to the optical frame.

The operation of the device is as follows: The film being at rest at thedisplay 0 ening 5, the picture atsaid opening is bril iantlyilluminatedin the usual manner and the pencils oflight formed by thevarious points of the picture pass through the lens 22, and form aninverted image at the opening 14.

The portion of the film at this point is during this period beingrapidly moved by the intermittent sprocket 16, and on account of thetransparent character of the film and its rapid motion, the formation ofthe said image is not interfered with, and the light freely into theobjective 21 by which it isprojected on a screen in the usual manner, orobserved directly by the'eye separated by through a suitable eye piece.As soon as the sprocket 16 allows the portion of the film which isopposite the display opening 14 to come to rest, the sprocket 8 beginsto move the portion of the film which is opposite the display opening 5.During this period the source of light sends a powerful beam of lightthrough the moving film and opening 5 upon the lens 22 which'condensesthe same upon the film at the opening 14, and since the part of the filmat 5 is transparent and moving rapidly, the intensity of this beam oflight will be sufiiciently strong to brilliantly illuminate the pictureopposite the opening 14 so that it may be projected by the projectinglens 21 or observed by an eye piece. The film then comes to rest againat 5 and the sequence of operations is repeated, the pictures of onlyone arithmetical series being brought to rest at one opening and onlythose of the other series at the other opening. The result is that theobserver sees a stationary image at all times, since the movement of onepart of the film does not take place until the period of movement of theother part has ended. The stationary image holds the eye and the rapidlymoving image which crosses the stationary image is not observed. Thefilm will be driven through the apparatus at such a rate of 'speed as topro- .duce lifelike movements of the objects portfailiayed in'thephotographs carried by the In the apparatus of Fig. 2, a single displayopening 23 is provided- The film 1 passes around the continuouslyoperated sprocket 24 forming a loop 25; thence across the displayopening 23 to the intermittent sprocket 26; thence over the idler 26 tothe loop 27; thence over an idler 28 and again across the displayopening 23; thence over an idler 25) to the intermittent sprocket 30;thence over an idler 30 forming a loop 31 and thence to the takeup reel.The thickness 7) of the film is at rest during all the time that thethickness 0 is moving and vice versa. For clearness, the thicknesses band c are shown a space, but in practice the two thicknesses will be inclose contact with each other. 'In order that the photographs of the twoarithmetical series may lie in the same focal plane with respect to theobjective 2], the photographs of one series may be printed upon one faceof the film and the photographs IIC the film so that the p otographs ofthe thickness b which are brought to rest will be on the face toward theobjective and those of the thickness 0 which are brought to rest will beon the face which is farthest from the objective and the pictures willbe so applied to the film that at the instant I) and c are bothstationary, all features which are common to the two will register witheach other.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire'tosecure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a moving picture exhibiting appa-' ratus, the combination with asource of light, of means for intermittently passing a continuous stripthrough the path of the light in such a manner that two portions of thestrip register with each other in said path and come to rest inalternation, substantially as set forth.

2. In a moving picture exhibiting apparatus, the combination with asource of light, of means for intermittently passing a continuous stripthrough the pathof the light in such a manner that two portions of thestrip register with each other in said path and come to rest inalternation, said means operating in such a manner that the period ofmovement of one portionoccurs during theperiod of rest of the otherportion, substantially as set forth.

3. In a moving picture exhibiting apparatus, the combination With asource of light, of means for intermittently passing a continuous stripthrough the path of the light in such a manner that two portions of thestrip register with each other in said path and come to rest inalternation, the periods of movement and rest being approximately equal,substantially as set forth.

4. In a picture exhibiting/apparatus, the combination with a source oflight and an objective, of a pair of display openings situated inoptical alinementwith each other in the path of said li ht and atsubstantially different distances I tially as set forth.

. 5. In a picture exhibiting apparatus, the combination of a source oflight, a lens one or more frames or casings formed with a pair ofdisplay openings situated at conjugate foci of said lens and means forpassing a film across said display openings, substantially as set forth.I 6. In a moving pictur' exhibiting ap aratrrsf the combination vwi h asource of lig t, of one or;more frames or casingsforme'd with a pair of.display openings situated in alinement With respect to the path of thelight rom said objective, substanand means for passing a continuous stn,

across each of saidope'ni'ngs, substantially as set forth.

7. In a moving picture exhibiting apparatus, the combination with asource of light, of oneor more frames or casings formed with a pairofdisplay openings situated in alinement with-respect to the path of thelight and means for intermittently passing a continuous strip aprosseach of said openings,

substantially as set forth.

8. In a moving picture exhibiting apparatus, the combination with asource of light,

of one or=more frames or casings formed with a pair of display openingssituated in alinement with respect to the path of the light, and meansfor intermittently passing a continuous strip across each of saidopenings, the periods of movement at one opening occurring during theperiods of rest at the other opening, substantially as set forth.

9. In a moving picture exhibiting apparatus, the combination with asource of light, of one or more frames or casings formed with a pair ofdisplay openings situated in alinement with respect to the path of thelight and means for intermittently passing a continuous strip acrosseach of said openings,

the periods of rest being equal to or greater than the-periods ofmovement, substantially as set fortln 10. In a picture exhibitingapparatua'the combination of one or more frames or casings formed with apair of optically alined display openings and means for intermit tentlymoving a continuous strip across said openings in such a manner that theperiod of movement at one opening occurs during the period of rest atthe other opening, substan tially as set forth.

11. In a picture exhibiting apparatus, the combination of a longflexible strip carrying two series of pictures the members of whichalternate, one or more frames of casings formed with a pair of opticallyalined display openin s and means for intermittently moving sai stripacross said openings, the intermittent feed operating to move the stripat each step a distance equal to the length of the two adjacentpictures, whereby the ictures of only one series will be displaye ateach 0 "ening, substantially as set forth.

12. n'a picture exhibiting apparatus, the combination of a long flexiblestrip carrying two series of pictures the members of which alternate,one or more frames or casings formed with a pair of optically alineddisplay openings, and means for intermittently moving said tri acrosssaid openings, the intermittent ee operating to move the strip at eachopening in alternation a distance equal to the length of two adjacentpictures, whereby the pictures of thetwo series will be at restsuccessively and in alternation at their respectiveopenings,substantially as set forth.

13. In.a picture exhibiting apparatus, the

combination of a long strip carrymg two series of pictures re resentingrapidly succeeding positions of objects in motlon, the members of whichseries alternate, one or more frames or casings formed with a pair ofoptically alined display openings and means for intermittently movingsaid strip across said openings, the intermittent feed operating to movethe strip at each opening in alternation a distance equal to the lengthof the two adjacentpictures, whereby the pictures of the combination ofa source otlight, a long flexitwo series Will be at rest successivelyand l the pictures ofthe other series, substantially w in alternation attheinrespective openings, l as set forth. substantially as set forth.This specification signed and witnessed 14. In a picture exhibitingapparatus, the this 21st day of November, 1905.

1 FRANK L. DYER.

ble strip carrying two series of pictures the DELOS HOLDEN. members ofwhich alternate, and means for Witnesses: successively bringing to restin the same focal i J. F, RANDOLPH,

plane as the pictures of one series, images of MING (1. MAoAnTHUn.

